Fun and Pastimes in Medieval Italy

The Palio of Siena

by Jannine Corti Petska

Italy has long been integral in the flourishing of the arts, literature, finances, and fashion throughout Europe. But what did they do in the Medieval period for fun?

In my Italian medieval romances, I have explored many ways Italians have whiled away the hours when not engaging in necessary and important business. In THE LILY AND THE FALCON, I added a game of kicking an animal’s bladder into opposing tents at the hero and heroine’s wedding. Today, this game is called soccer or, as the Italians refer to it, calico.

In the fourth book of my Italian Medieval series, TEMPT NOT MY HEART (not contracted at present), the famous horse races of Siena are a vital part of the story. Portions of the following are taken from an article I wrote that ran in Renaissance Magazine, issue #31, entitled “The Games of Siena.”

Throughout history, men have tested their strength, endurance and skill in ways that have often seemed barbaric. The games of medieval Siena were a prime example of the extent these men carried their quest in order to be hailed a champion. For what began among military forces as a war-like competition, soon evolved into violent rivalry between the contrade (districts or neighborhoods) of the town.

Only one contest has survived the centuries—the Palio—which existed well before the 11th century and took place two times a year: on July 2nd, in honor of the Madonna of Provenzan, who miraculously appeared to Provenzan Salvani, the hero in the Battle of Montraperti; and also on August 16th, a day dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption.

The name of the race was synonymous with the prize awarded the winner. A misrepresentation of the Latin word pallium (meaning a rectangular piece of cloth), a palio was a wool, silk or velvet piece of cloth bearing a representation of the Virgin Mary and was awarded to the contrade who won the race.

Prior to 1555, during the Palio young men carried colored wooden structures usually representing animals, with followers parading behind them in a procession. After 1555, each district began to organize with headquarters defining territorial limits and announcing specific rules, thereby developing its own badge, colors, animal of distinction for its banner, its own church and religious staff, and a stable for the horse racing on its behalf.

In the beginning, men would talk about “running to win the Palio” (correre per vincerer il palio). As the race evolved over time, they spoke instead of “running the Palio” (correre il palio). Pride played a huge role in these races; the horses were decked out as colorfully as their riders, and each district dressed the part, as did individual supporters. And while the town divided their loyalties to the riders, the idea of the contrade was not enforced.

The days leading up to the races were set aside for a festival. During this time, women and girls decorated the streets with rich adornments, flowers and banners in the colors of
their contrade. These were happier times for the town, and the friendly competition among the neighborhoods to see which one could out-decorate the other lifted the spirits of the Sienese.

Late in the Medieval period, the horse races, previously run in a straight like through the streets, began taking place around the sloping shell of the Piazza del Campo. But the incline of the piazza proved to be a dangerous course. Over time, many animals were seriously injured or killed because of the unfit shape of the “track.” Run along the outer rim, the actual race ended in less than 90 seconds. But despite the shortness of it, the winner was hailed a hero and the contrade who won deemed superior above all the others. At least until the next Palio.

To this day, the pomp and circumstance surrounding the short race is a sight to see. The pride of each contrade is the same—the only difference is the more than 500 years of history in between.

Piazza del Campo, Siena

My available books:

 CARINA AND THE NOBLEMAN, book 1, Sisters of Destiny trilogy

Available at www.eternalpress.ca
Book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rERylu_39XA

 

CHARLOTTE AND THE GYPSY, book 2, Sisters of Destiny trilogy

Available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RIH450

Trailer at http://youtu.be/H26Ny5YuMis

 
KNIGHT'S DESIRE,  Available at http://www.thedarkcastlelords.com/reviewsknight's-desire.htm
Book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49buJLXMQQ

LOVE’S SWEET WAGER, Available at The Wild Rose Press

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4573

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Loves-Sweet-Wager-Jannine-Petska/dp/1601549288/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1310058382&sr=1-3

Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loves-sweet-wager-jannine-corti-petska/1104143205?ean=2940013605114&itm=1&usri=love%2bs%2bsweet%2bwager

Book trailer at http://youtu.be/d764IotVEjM

REBEL HEART, 2007 Aspen Gold Finalist,

available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon

 www.jcortipetska.com

TITIAN, 16th Century Painter

The following article was published in Il Leone Italian-American newspaper. This is a shortened version of the original article.


Ask any scholar who he believes is the most prominent artist of the Renaissance period and his answer will undoubtedly be Titian. Regarded as the leading painter of the Venetian School, Titian's life began in a small village of Cadore, five miles from the foot of the Alps.

Self-Portrait (left)

Born Tiziano Vecellio, the exact year of his birth has been disputed for centuries. While scholars agree it was in 1488, Titian himself claimed he was born in 1476. He was named for a saint in whom the Vecellio family had a strong connection. Saint Tiziano had been a bishop and practiced from a chapel that belonged to a Vecellio ancestor.

Titian came from a long line of lawyers and soldiers. His family was not rich, but neither were thy destitute. Life in Cadore was not easy. At a young age, Titian dabbled in drawing with charcoal. His father noticed a special talent in the boy and sent Titian to Venice where he apprecenticed with the mosaicist Sebastiano Zuccato. Titian was ten at the time.

The Worship of Venus, 1516

With his interest in drawing, Titian soon moved in with an uncle and studied under two brothers, well-known artists Gentile and Giovanni Bellini. Years later, he moved to Padua where he painted three frescoes for the School of the Saints. In 1513, he returned to Venice to paint frescoes in the Ducal Palace. By now, his artistic abilities spread out and he showed interest in not only portraits but also religious and mythological painting.

Titian's reputation did not formally escalate until 1532 when Emperor Charles V commissioned the artist to paint his portrait. He was so pleased by the portrait that he created titles for Titian: Titian Count Palatine and Knight of the Golden Spur. These titles granted Titian entrance to the court and also gave his sons the rank of nobility.

Portrait of a Man, 1512 (right)

In 1543, Titian traveled to Rome to paint Pope Paul III and his nephews. He met with Michelangelo, who had mixed professional feelings about Titian's work. The great artist "commended his [Titian's] lively manner of painting but thought his work was deficient in drawing." However, Michelangelo's opinion did not damage Titian's credibility.

In personal matters, Titian was closed-mouthed. He let others see only what he wanted them to see. It was obvious to other artists that he was devious about money and gained work to his advantage. In other words, Titian was a shrew businessman. He had no illusions about his own status and from where he came.

Until his death on August 27, 1576, Titian remained well aware that he was an outsider in the culture and habits on the elevated, in spite of the titles bestowed upon him by Charles V.

While his work gained widespread acclaim, Titian preferred the simple life and worked out of love for his craft up until the day he died.

Jannine Corti Petska
Assapora la passione (Feel the Passion)
www.jcortipetska.com

CARINA AND THE NOBLEMAN, Available at www.eternalpress.ca
KNIGHT'S DESIRE, Available at http://www.thedarkcastlelords.com/reviews-knight's-desire.htm
REBEL HEART, 2007 Aspen Gold Finalist

Writing Historical Romances and What Comes First: the history or the romance?

I've been asked this question often enough that I should have the response rehearsed. I don't. The answer depends on many factors.

Writing historicals is an unusual job for me. In school, history wasn't my favorite subject. In fact, I thought it was terribly boring. I realized as an adult, my teachers didn't make it interesting for me. So why am I writing historical romances? And how much of history goes into each story? Do I look up a historical fact and weave a romance around it? Or do I have a romance in mind and fill in history of the time?

Let's begin with the reason I write romances. Growing up, I read anything I could get my hands on. In my early twenties, I discovered historical romances. They certainly were more romantic than Jacqueline Susann or Jackie Collins. I credit Kathleen Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsey for tickling my muse and starting me on the writing path. What I loved about historical romances was the fantasy of visiting far away places coupled with a dashing hero and a heroine who, despite an aversion to the hero, fell in love with him anyway. This was the time when heroes were extremely Alpha. They ruled with an iron-clad heart and a libido they appeased no matter that the heroine didn't want him. She would eventually come around.

When I wrote my first historicals, I concentrated on the American West. I grew up in Southern California, near Hollywood. There were many influences from the acting community and my friends who were in the business. On TV, westerns were popular. I loved going to Knott's Berry Farm for its western feel, and to Universal Studios where my sister worked. I was able to get in without paying and attended many special events. One such event was an evening with actors and stuntmen from western movies and TV series filmed at Universal.

The American West's rich history spurred numerous ideas in my head. In fact, there were so many that I had to keep a notebook just to get them out and free my mind to concentrate on one story. Back then, I'd have a name and occupation for the hero and heroine. Next, I would come up with a story idea. And lastly, the location and history. I used to over research because of my lack of knowledge of history. But I concentrated mostly on the relationship and romance, sprinkling in the history.

I am and have always been a by-the-seat-of-my-pants writer. I couldn't write an outline to save my life. But the one thing that stayed true in my stories was the history. There were times when I discovered an interesting historical fact, which inevitably changed the story a bit. I'm a firm believer in "truth is stranger than fiction." So I keep an open mind and go with an unusual historical tidbit as well as the insistence of my heroes and heroines who often do their own thing. There were many times they backed me into a corner plot wise, and I had to figure out how to get them out of a situation.

I've come a long way since writing my first historical. And I've grown a complete interest in history, kicking myself over and over for not paying more attention in school. These days, I begin a book by researching the history. I do have a hero and heroine in mind, but their relationship is often worked around history. For instance, in the first book of my four-book Italian medieval series, THE LILY AND THE FALCON, I knew I wanted it to take place in 15th century Florence, the town of my ancestors. I learned that the powerful Cosimo de' Medici had been exiled from Florence by his rival, Rinaldo degli Albizzi. Immediately I knew the hero had to be a Medici (the more influential family) and the heroine an Albizzi. Because of their families' constant battle to be the unofficial ruler of Florence, they had issues of mistrust. To add the feeling of place and time to the story, I used actual events, such as a hanging, along with the broken down governmental changes, as well as researched portrayals of Cosimo and Rinaldo, both of whom make appearances in the book.

So in answer to the question of whether the history or the romance comes first, as I stated in the first paragraph, it depends. Although history is a vital aspect in my novels, it will always be the backdrop for the hero and heroine's romantic quest.

Jannine Corti Petska

Assapora la passione (Feel the Passion)

www.jcortipetska.com

Fun and Pastimes in Medieval Italy

by Jannine Corti-Petska

Italy has long been integral in the flourishing of the arts, literature, finances, and fashion throughout Europe. But what did they do in the Medieval period for fun?

In my Italian medieval romances, I have explored many ways Italians have whiled away the hours when not engaging in necessary and important business. In THE LILY AND THE FALCON, I added a game of kicking an animal’s bladder into opposing tents at the hero and heroine’s wedding. Today, this game is called soccer or, as the Italians refer to it, calico.

In the fourth book of my Italian Medieval series, TEMPT NOT MY HEART (not contracted at present), the famous horse races of Siena are a vital part of the story. I’d like to share an article I wrote for Renaissance Magazine entitled “The Palio of Siena.”

Throughout history, men have tested their strength, endurance and skill in ways that often seemed barbaric. The games of medieval Siena were a prime example of the extent these men carried their quest in order to be hailed a champion. For what began among military forces as a war-like competition, soon evolved into violent rivalry between the contrade (districts or neighborhoods) of the town.

Only one contest has survived the centuries—the Palio—which existed well before the 11th century and took place two times a year: on July 2nd, in honor of the Madonna of Provenzan, who miraculously appeared to Provenzan Salvani, the hero in the Battle of Montraperti; and also on August 16th, a day dedicated to the Madonna of the Assumption.

The name of the race was synonymous with the prize awarded the winner. A misrepresentation of the Latin word pallium (meaning a rectangular piece of cloth), a palio was a wool, silk or velvet piece of cloth bearing a representation of the Virgin Mary and was awarded to the contrade who won the race.

Prior to 1555, during the Palio young men carried colored wooden structures usually representing animals, with followers parading behind them in a procession. After 1555, each district began to organize with headquarters defining territorial limits and announcing specific rules, thereby developing its own badge, colors, animal of distinction for its banner, its own church and religious staff, and a stable for the horse racing on its behalf.

In the beginning, men would talk about “running to win the Palio” (correre per vincerer il palio). As the race evolved over time, they spoke instead of “running the Palio” (correre il palio). Pride played a huge role in these races; the horses were decked out as colorfully as their riders, and each district dressed the part, as did individual supporters. And while the town divided their loyalties to the riders, the idea of the contrade was not enforced.

The days leading up to the races were set aside for a festival. During this time, women and girls decorated the streets with rich adornments, flowers and banners in the colors of
their contrade. These were happier times for the town, and the friendly competition among the neighborhoods to see which one could out-decorate the other lifted the spirits of the Sienese.

Late in the Medieval period, the horse races, previously run in a straight like through the streets, began taking place around the sloping shell of the Piazza del Campo. But the incline of the piazza proved to be a dangerous course. Over time, many animals were seriously injured or killed because of the unfit shape of the “track.” Run along the outer rim, the actual race ended in less than 90 seconds. But despite the shortness of it, the winner was hailed a hero and the contrade who won deemed superior above all the others. At least until the next Palio.

To this day, the pomp and circumstance surrounding the short race is a sight to see. The pride of each contrade is the same—the only difference is the more than 500 years of history in between.
Piazza del Campo, Siena

In my newly released Italian Medieval romance, CARINA AND THE NOBLEMAN, you won’t find any sports of yesteryear. However, it is the first book of a trilogy about three psychic sisters separated at birth. To read the first chapter, please visit my website: www.jcortipetska.com

My available books:

CARINA AND THE NOBLEMAN, Available at www.eternalpress.ca

Book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rERylu_39XA

KNIGHT'S DESIRE, Available at http://www.thedarkcastlelords.com/reviewsknight

Book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A49buJLXMQQ

REBEL HEART, 2007 Aspen Gold Finalist,
available through Barnes and Noble and Amazon